Let me see your grill

"I got my mouth looking something like a disco ball. I got the diamonds and the ice all handset. I might cause a cold front if I take a deep breath."\nThese are the words of hip-hop artist Pall Wall featured in Nelly's latest single "Grillz." \nGold teeth go beyond just crowns. I was aware that platinum teeth, diamond teeth and general tooth jewelry existed. However, when I heard this song about teeth on the radio, I knew the concept of "bling bling" decorating the "grill" was becoming more prominent in our culture.\nIf you don't have extra money lying around that you enjoy setting on fire, the idea of jewelry for the mouth might seem outrageous. Gratuitous bling and displays of materialism are nothing new in our culture. I, for one, hope the trend continues. It's good for the economy, and without fancy, molded teeth, the world would be a little less sparkly.\nWhile Nelly is a role model for everyone, I wanted to find out if other people actually jumped aboard the Gleamin' Grill Express. I contacted New York-based jeweler Sheik Hussain who started East Coast West Coast Designs "for all your gold teeth needs." To see his designs, visit www.triplexgoldteeth.com. \nHe crossed over from traditional jewelry to teeth because it gave him a new outlet for \ndesign. He said the jewelry business is an "open mind game." \nSo why do people want jewelry in their mouths? \n"It's a fashion thing," Hussain said. \nHis customers include rappers and "kids from all over the place." He said that there's been a definite increase in the demand for gold teeth and that many other jewelers are offering removable teeth designs. Hussain points to hip-hop to explain the popularity of gold teeth.\n"Rappers get everyone into it," Husain said. "Rappers jump high, they all jump high." \nHis most popular product is the "invisible" setting that shows only diamonds on the teeth or a "smile on the rocks" as Nelly likes to call it. \nWith mouths full of money in the form of diamonds and gold, could the decadent grill go any further? The answer is yes. \nHussain has even sold teeth with spinners. He got the idea for creating teeth with spinning parts from spinning jewelry medallions and spinning rims on cars. \n"I put one and one together," Hussain said. "It's the same concept." \nThe spinning action is manual. \n"You spin it by yourself," Hussain said. \nHe described the spinning teeth as "very, very popular" but the product is currently on hold. \nInnovation, creativity and shiny objects are the American way. Where can teeth go from here? Maybe in the next few years we'll see teeth that dispense champagne or play DVDs on tiny tooth-shaped liquid crystal displays. Personally, I'd like some teeth with a tiny wooden Dutch boy and a tiny wooden Dutch girl who do a little dance every hour on the hour. Nelly could write a song about it.